O/T Magazines

[Nick Brad]

Just out of curiosity, what racing/motorsport publications do people buy/subscribe to? I noticed in another thread that at least one person agrees with my thoughts about Autosport, do you think differently?

I personally have my subscription to Short Circuit (of course,) but I also subscribe to a couple of US mags, namely Late Model Racing and Stock Car Racing. I haven't received my first copy of LMR yet due to only ordering it just before christmas, but SCR covers various types of oval racing stateside and I enjoy it despite the American's use of poor quality paper. The prices do offset this irritation though and are very good even with 'cross the pond delivery charges.
I also occasionally pick up a copy of Racecar Engineering if I can find it for Nascar related articles, but not every month. As for Autospod/MN, I gave up on them long ago.

[LessThanSte]

Me, perhaps?

I actually have the very first issue of Short Circuit magazine floating around here somewhere that i found wandering around Hednesford! There was another one that was on sale at Hednesford once, cant remember what it was called though, and dont even know if its still going. Launched around 2001/2002?

I do get the Racingone.com newsletter, though that focuses mainly on US sport, though i only really get it for the NASCAR coverage!

[acorn]

Currently subscribe to Motorsport News and Short Circuit.

Have previously (before embracing the net) bought /subscribed to:

Cars and Car Conversions, Auto Performance('80s), Race Car Engineering, Autosport.

I have also subscribed to the US publications Stock Car Racing(for nascar etc) and Open Wheel(mainly for the sprintcars).

With so much information available on the net for free these days, it must be getting harder and harder to find content that will actually induce people to WANT to BUY a paper publication that contains info that is (particularly for the monthlys) well out of date.

[Nick Brad]

True, although I buy the american ones more for the general articles than the latest news. Also, I sometimes find that the net contains almost too much info so if you're not looking for a specific thing then you can end up scanning past something that might otherwise interest you.

As for that other publication at Hednesford, was it focused on banger racing? If so, yes it does still exist although I can't think for the life of me what it's called off the top of my head. It's available through SC's website alongside the main publication as well as the 2006 SCSA programs.

[The White Lady]

We subscribe to Autosport mainly because they were doing a PS2 game deal when we signed up, and have never got round to unsubscribing. Pit Kid loves to read it in the car when I'm ferrying him around to his musical commitments - I think he reads every word of it! Any recommendations should we decide to unsubscribe would be warm ly received.

[Reynard]

I get Autosport too - it's more out of habit now after nearly 20 years, sometimes I wonder why I still buy it...

However, I do get Short Circuit Magazine, which is more my kind of thing these days.

I also get Your Cat, but I think that's a little off topic! :laugh:

[LessThanSte]

Oh, my dad gets T3 magazine, which is ace, and generally where i get my gadget related reviews from!

[Speedworx]

I get Autosport. There is nothing else that I really need as it covers everything that I follow.

[JovialJooles]

I get Racer, Nascar Illustrated and Dick Bergeren's Speedway Illustrated.

[Nick Brad]

Any recommendations should we decide to unsubscribe would be warm ly received.

I know I keep harping on about it, but Short Circuit really is a great mag. It not only covers the short ovals in the UK, but SCSA, Nascar and other short oval racing from all round the world. You'd never have a free weekend if you tried to attend the events listed in the back of the magazine and believe me, it's easy to convince yourself that the BriSCA F1/National Hot Rods/Superstox/???????? event at your local track next weekend is unmissable.
The only critisism I have is that being a monthly mag, some of the coverage is a bit outdated, but that can't really be helped.

[Nick Brad]

I get Autosport. There is nothing else that I really need as it covers everything that I follow.

I guess if you're into F1 and rallying then yes, it does cover those disciplines well, but the only decent oval coverage it does provide is when one of the single seater series in the states goes oval racing which I should be grateful for I suppose. Myself only being into oval racing, it abandoned my concept of good all round coverage a long time ago. I must admit to subscribing to it a couple of times, but only because I happened to see a good free gift whilst browsing through someone else's copy.

[rogerv]

I know I keep harping on about it, but Short Circuit really is a great mag. It not only covers the short ovals in the UK, but SCSA, Nascar and other short oval racing from all round the world. You'd never have a free weekend if you tried to attend the events listed in the back of the magazine and believe me, it's easy to convince yourself that the BriSCA F1/National Hot Rods/Superstox/???????? event at your local track next weekend is unmissable.
The only critisism I have is that being a monthly mag, some of the coverage is a bit outdated, but that can't really be helped.

You keep harping on about Short Circuit Mag., it's a great read and the quality of the pictures etc are second to none. I've been reading it since the 'old days' when it was run by Paul Huggett. The current editor does a brilliant job and finds some great articles and doesn't just rely on meeting reports etc. As you mentioned its a great place to find out what meetings are on and choose the best places to go.

All the best Roger

http://www.ukovalracing.info

[racing59]

You keep harping on about Short Circuit Mag., it's a great read and the quality of the pictures etc are second to none. I've been reading it since the 'old days' when it was run by Paul Huggett. The current editor does a brilliant job and finds some great articles and doesn't just rely on meeting reports etc. As you mentioned its a great place to find out what meetings are on and choose the best places to go.

All the best Roger

http://www.ukovalracing.info

Blimey, Hello Roger!

I used to read the Hotspur, Hornet, and the Victor.

I also used to read the Motorsport News, but these days I only read Autosport. Sometimes I wonder why. If it wasn't for the more race orientated ads in the back, I wouldn't bother, as it doesn't do much for me anymore.

I'm a little disillusioned with the "big name" motorsport press, as it seems to have washed it's hands with the mainstream of national motorsport. Especially when the Autosport awards consider British F3/GT etc as National Motorsport - when the championships consider themselves as International level. It gives no recognition to the masses who turn out at weekends for the love of their sport, rather than a part of a promotional business.

Grrrr

Rob.

[JDPower]

Blimey Rob, you're on one tonight aren't you :D

[racing59]

Never underestimate the dark side of the force!

Sometimes I go to Autosport, and come home with great joy and satisfaction, other times I go there and it's a roller-coaster ride.

I think that reading the National motorsport review fired me up a bit, with a couple of "pet" championships getting the best reports, even if their racing was one step up from coma inducing.

Time I went to bed to sleep on a few things (which will probably fire me up more for tomorrow!)

Ahhh.. remembering the Hotspur/Hornet/Victor - and their mission to teach the young generation of the time German as a second language - useful phrases like "Hande Hoch" - "Nein Nein Kamerad" - and finally the best "Achtung, Himmel, Spitfire!".

And Alf Tupper! Bloomin' Ada!

Rob.

[Nick Brad]

New magazine out that shows promise, it's called Full Throttle magazine.
Actually it's on it's third issue, but it does have a short track oval article. If we support this magazine and make requests for more oval related stuff, it could be a good supporter of SCSA.
I was hoping that In Gear magazine would have a long and successful life as that gave ASCAR plenty of coverage, but sadly it died out.

Talking of coverage, where was Heymarket's coverage? No mention in MN and Autospud managed a whopping half a page for the entire meeting! I did write in complaining of the lack of coverage, but unsurprisingly it wasn't printed. I never even used profanities, merely pointed out that there is motorsport outside of F1 and rallying. There was a major injustice for all of the hard work put in by everyone at the first meeting.

[inamo]

Racecar Engineering is definitely worth subscribing to if you're interested in the technical side of racing. Stock Car Racing from the states is also a good read, and cheap too given the current currency rates.

[Reynard]

You keep harping on about Short Circuit Mag., it's a great read and the quality of the pictures etc are second to none. http://www.ukovalracing.info

Of course the SCSA and Truck pics in SC are second to none! :cheese: ;)

[JG Fan]

i get Nascar Illustrated for the articles and stories but by the time i get the news is well out of date but that doesn’t matter to me.
also the posters each month give me something to put on my wall.

[inimitablestoo]

I was an MN reader for 14 years before deciding to switch to Autosport when the F1 reports shrunk to a page this year. Aside from that I'm a regular What Car? reader, which is at completely the opposite end of the motoring press spectrum, and a bit of a problem on days like today when they come out together...

[racing59]

Expect an SCSA article in Full Throttle soon. And a follow on after that.

As for Short Circuit, once I get the stickers, they'll be on the Team Air Ambulance car for the next round. Oh yes.

What the world could do with, is a site like "Dailysportscar.com" but covering our kind of racing. There are some really good forum's in the 'States. I'm subscribed to one of the dirt racing ones (thanks to my Tennessee based engine supplier), and it's a good read, full of tech info too.

There are some good asphalt circle track forums too, I haven't signed up to any yet..... note.. yet...

I think it's too early for a big oval based circuit racng mag, and it looks to me that neither Autosnort, nor Muttering Gnu's are interested in us (SCSA) one little bit. I sent a couple of press releases about my Team Air Ambulance fundraising to them, and they didn't print a bleedin' thing. Some nobody in the Stock Hatch series changes his wheel nuts and it's national exclusive.

Any road up. Another Air Ambulance appeal has begun. The county of Hertfordshire is hoping to launch their own service. http://www.hertsairambulance.org for more information. Get's yer hands in yer pockets and help save lives.

Rob.

[Nick Brad]

Make sure you bag some full throttle stickers, their logo looks quite good and a small spot on the car is a fair share for coverage imo.

[Gasman]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned "NASCAR Scene" which though independent is surely as close as you can get to being the definitive weekly NASCAR magazine (actually is more like a tabloid newspaper in format but its in full colour albeit with the usual poor US paper quality).

It really is the best way to get up-to-date NASCAR articles and news as its the only weekly out there (I think).

BUT, if you want it airmailed to an address outside the USA its well over US$250 for a years subcription!!!!! (just under US$50 for US addresses though...) One year I was able to get a deal to have it delivered by surface mail but at a reduced rate but it arrived anywhere between 2 and 6 weeks after the cover date. (I could download it online as a .pdf file right away so long as the subscription lasted though.)

However, the publishers no longer have this deal, so I let my subcription lapse, which was a shame, as I really enjoyed reading it.

The UK Pound-US Dollar exchange rate is very good at present so if your really keen on you NASCAR you may want to give it a try. [If you want to set up an "overseas" subscription you have to phone them on 00 1 704 973 1300].

It would make a nice birthday or Christmas present for someone. Difficult to drop "subtle" hints about this though...

[Nick Brad]

This is precisely why I avoid NASCAR oriented magazines, the fact that by the time you receive them, they're vastly outdated. I guess the same could be said for the other magazines that I have shipped over, but the info included in them is less easy to find on the net, plus some very good articles appear especially in Stock Car Racing that is not time dependant.

[R3ROK]

I think I added to a thread (or started it?) on the 'old' SCSA site about which magazine subscription was 'the best'. As yet, I still 'aint got round to subscribing to any, but I think that Autosport would be a good all-round choice. If I could afford two subscriptions I would go for Short Circuit too as it's a bit more specialised. I maybe shouldn't admit to this but I used to subscribe to Top Gear....yes, groan ;) and I am the 'proud owner' of the first 100 issues...If i'm honest I got fed up at about issue 51 but saw it through to 100...they are currently bending the bedroom ceiling in a number of boxes, All mint condition.....roll on November 5th ;)

[Reynard]

If i'm honest I got fed up at about issue 51 but saw it through to 100...they are currently bending the bedroom ceiling in a number of boxes, All mint condition.....roll on November 5th ;)

Oh, that's NOTHING!!! I have 20 years' worth of Autosport back issues stashed under my bed... :laugh:

And here's me wondering why the heck my house is sinking... :eek: